Here are some talking points to help you prepare to speak with your Senator when you call to voice your position S 168
- S168 affects more than 100 holistic healthcare occupations, including Reiki. It redefines all healing modalities as “bodywork” with NO evidence that these professions present any health or safety risk to the public.
- S168 would require you to re-learn your modality at a state-licensed school, even if you are already certified and have been practicing your modality for years. You would need to begin your training over again, from scratch, in order to become licensed.
- None of these modalities, including Reiki, are taught at state-licensed schools. It may be years before the state of Massachusetts creates the state-licensed schools needed in order to teach these modalities. In the meantime, it would be illegal for you to practice your modality in the state of Massachusetts.
- The licensing process and the procedure to become a state-licensed school would be cost prohibitive for most Reiki Master Teachers as well as for teachers of other modalities.
- S168 would put thousands of Reiki practitioners and other complementary healing professionals out of business and on unemployment.
- S168 would greatly reduce citizen healthcare options for the people of Massachusetts as almost 50% of Americans use complementary/alternative health services.
- The Obama White House issued a set of best practices for state policymakers to enact reforms to reduce the prevalence of unnecessary and overly broad occupational licenses. S168 works against these best practices.
- The proposed Board of Registration of Massage Therapy and Bodywork would have only two licensed bodywork therapists to represent over 100 modalities. Most modalities would not receive appropriate representation.
- The proposed board would host at least 1 public session to solicit information from bodywork therapist of over 100 modalities.
Please leave a Fact Sheet with the Lawmaker and/or his assistant for more information.
